The present invention relates to low sodium salt compositions and methods of preparing them. In particular, NaCl is combined with a non-gritty bulking agent, and optionally a binder, to form a salt composition suitable for sprinkling onto prepared foods including snacks. The present compositions provide a salty flavor with the delivery of less sodium.
High sodium intake is associated with some major health problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease. Sodium chloride (salt) is the prime source of sodium intake. Salt is added to processed and cooked foods to give the salty taste people like. A significant portion of freshly prepared foods have little or no salt added. However, salt is conveniently provided in a shaker for people to add to their foods. Therefore, the table-top salt shaker is one of the major sources of sodium dietary intake.
Salt has large dense granular particles which are not instantaneously solubilized in saliva. When these particles are sprinkled on (wet) solid foods for immediate consumption an excess is required to provide desired levels of salt taste intensity. Most prepared foods are so soft and/or crispy that they are only briefly chewed and swallowed. As a result of short mouth residence time a significant portion of the salt added by a shaker either has not completely dissolved or has not reached the taste buds before the salted food is swallowed. Additionally, while slow dissolving salt granules may produce a saturation level response at the taste buds, it is possible that a lower concentration of salt may produce an equivalent taste by a more rapid dissolution. In other words, traditional table salt has a low efficiency in providing salty taste.
To reduce sodium intake level several light salt or salt substitute products have been introduced into market. They are products with up to about 50% sodium chloride being replaced by potassium and/or magnesium salts. These products provide only limited sodium reduction. In addition, both potassium and magnesium salts have bitter tastes which are unacceptable in many food systems to most people. Therefore, there is a need for a salt product having a good salty taste which can significantly reduce sodium intake.
A new salt product, Salt Sense, of Diamond Crystal allegedly having a lower bulk density than regular salt, is promoted as a light salt product to reduce sodium use level by 33%. The product is a flake or dendrite of NaCl which has a bulk density of about 0.80 gram/cc. Regular table salt has a bulk density of about 1.24 grams/cc.
Canadian patent CA 1147653 (1983) discloses a salt-maltodextrin agglomerated product for people on a low sodium diet. Photomicrographs of that composition show that fine maltodextrin particles are attached to the surface of the salt crystals (See Examples I and III of CA1147653). In addition, due to the high solubility of maltodextrin in water, the agglomeration process described in CA 1147653 is difficult to control especially when maltodextrin content in the product is over 40% by weight. The bulk density of the resulting product disclosed is considered close to that of table salt. Because of the approximate equivalent bulk density, the amount of sodium reduction is approximately equivalent to the amount of maltodextrin added by weight.